Shedding mechanism



Feb. 28, 1928.

WIN/E88 i INVENTOR I I (Tram/Er Feb. 28, 1928.

1,660,963 G. HANNAH SHEDDING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 8. 1 3 Sheets-Sheet WIT/V588 IN l/E N TOR A'TTORIVEY Feb. 28, 1928. 1,660,963

. G. HANNAH SHEDDING MECHANISM Filed Dec. a. 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 5 WITNESS 7 INVENTOR ITTTORNEY [III Patented Feb. 28, 1 928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. iwm m nivan, or g es es New JERSEY- i sn amiaefiaenam mapplication filed pecember This invention relates-to shedding mechanism ior looms, and its principalobject is to eliminate the expense and annoyance 111 cident to the operation of patterncards controlling the hooks of a jacquard machine and to construct the mechanism so that the arrangement of certain parts thereof according toa predeterminedpattern or design will produce a convenient and readily visible replica of: the pattern or design tobe developed in the weaving, enabling the operator in advance to detect any fault n such arrangement and consequently avoid faults in the weaving of the design. The vention is adaptedespecially for use 1n weaving labels and similar 'woven fabrics where the figures are isolated,though it may have other applications.

The invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which each of the views is more or less diagrammatic,

Fig. 1 showing in plan fabricwoven with afigure;

Figs. 2 and 3 are front and rear views illustrating merely in a diagrammaticway the theory or principle of that part of the invention involving the hooks, actuators'and connections; v

Fig. at shows a jacquard machine with the hooks and actuators and connections where the latter have the preferableand usually more practical form including the mentioned upright members;

Fig. 5 shows inside elevation the jacquard machine, with its means for reciprocating certain partsthereof, and the actuators and my means to move the actuators, the connections betweenthe actuators and hooks being omitted. in this figure whose sole purpose to show how the actuators may be moved in succession;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of what is shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view to afford front elevation of? the cylinder and also of the actuators, upright Il'lOll'lbQl'S and links connecting said actuators and members, the reciprocating structure for moving forward the actuator, the succession of means to couple them with such structure, and the means to trans mit movement from thecylinderto said couplingn'ieans (all shown in Fig. ,5) being omitted in this figlire to avoid confusion;

.Fig. 8 shows the relative order in which ght members of the connections be said rig-13 8,1926. Serial no. 153,294.

tween the actuators and hooks will bearranged when they are in three rows; and

Figs. 9a-nd 10-show forms of hooks used in the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 8.

In Figs. 2 and 3 let 1 designate a vertical series of parallel horizontal-actuators, as bars, each movable to the right and back in Fig. 2 but assumed to be normally held in the position in which all but one of them appear; 2 a row of hooks or warp-thread elevators to be called from the actuators, 3 being a verticallyreciprocated knife or hooklifte'r for raising from the bottomhoard 3* on which they normally rest the hooks not called; and 4 connections connecting the hooks with certain of the actuators according to a predetermined design and adapted to transmit motion from the actuators to the hooks but not vice versa when the hooks are moved in relatively the same direction as the active movements of the actuators take place, as by each connection having ahooked end l open forwardly to permit the hook 2 it engagesto be shifted orwardly independently. The views named, with Fig. l, are intended to illustrate the invention in the simplest Way, wherefore I have only shown a *few hooks and actuators, and for thetime being will assume, also, that the ground of the fabric appearing in'Fig. l is being in any way controlled for the weaving thereof, confining myself to the figures B therein shown.

In Figs. 2 and 3 there are five of the actuators shown connected with hooks. Counting fromthe lowest in't-his group of actuators up,they are respectively connected with two four, six, four and two hooks; and it will be observed that the arrangement of the connections las they appear inend elevation or as in Fig. 3 simulates the figure appearing repeated in Fig. 1. If on five successive picks of theloom, or r'isesoff the knife 3 the act-uators were, one for .each pick and in the order named above, movedto the right in Fig. 2 (or forward) andbaclnthe'hooks connected with 'the actuators would remain depressed on the rise of the hook-litter, and this would result inthe floating of the Weft 13 over that number warp threads A Whose hooks remained in each instance depressed. In Fig. 2 the lowest or ,first bar 1 concerned with the figure 'is causing a float over ,two warps; the second to fifth, couliting' upwardly and assuming the progress of the goods while being woven is in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, will respectively cause a float over four, six, four and two warps. If the actuators be operatedin this way (successively) repeatedly, or in rotation, the figures shown in Fig. 1 would be reproduced repeatedly, and the spaces between such figures would of course be accounted for by those actuators which'havo no connection with hooks as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Turning, now, to Fig. a: In practice it would in most cases be impossible to connect any one hook with several actuators (see those so connected in Fig. 2), without some intermediary member in the connection acting as an auxiliary to the hook in the sense that it would not move vertically as does the hook and would be strong enough and otherwise better adapted to afford a number of connecting points. In Fig. 4 the hooks appear as part of a jacquard machine 5, only so much of which is shown as includes the frame thereof, parts 3, 8 already described and the usual lever 8 and link 23 for actuating knife 3; and I may at this point remark that my system may be employed in connection with any already existing jacquard machine. The members mentioned are here shown as upright levers 6 pivoted at their upper ends in a suitable frame 7, being assumed to be normally held in the position where they will hold the hooks 2 positioned to be raised by the knife or hooklifter by gravity or any other means. They are connected with the hooks and with'the actuatorsby links 8 and 9, respectively, each link 9 being like the connections 1 in that each is formed to transmit motion from an actuator to a lever 6 but not vice versa when the latter is moved in relatively the same direction as the active movement of the actus ator takes place, i. e., with a forwardly open hook 9.

It will thus be apparent that I can control a jacquard machine without card cutting so as to produce a selected figure in the fabric and that the design or figure to be reproduced is simply a matter of arranging the connections between the actuators and hooks so that as seen in elevation (as Fig. 3) they will themselves simulate the design. It will furthermore be apparent that the operation of the actuators is simply a matter of moving them one after another or in succession, and in rotation. There may be actually in place any number of the actuators (i. e., more than enough for the production of the selected figure, as herein shown), all partaking of the successive-operation; those not actually having connections with hooks would perform idle movements, and the period during which these (idle) actuators were being successively moved would correspond to the space between two succeeding figures in the fabric.

Figs. 5 and 6 show one form of means for moving the actuators one after another or in succession, and in rotation. These views, for clearness sake, omit the hooks 2, and the connections (except that Fig. 6 shows the links 9 thereof), but they include the jacquard machine frame and show certain parts of this machine in particular which are utilized by me for actuating the means in question, as well as the described means for operating the knife 8. This view also shows how the actuators may be supported and guided, towit in horizontal slots 10 in the frame 7.

In frame 7 are two vertical bars 11 which may be rigidly connected by a shaft 11 and thus form a two-armed lever whose fulcrum is such shaft. This lever is moved backward and forward once for each pick of he loom or shed-forming movement of the jacquard and in its movements forward it is succes sively to pull forward the actuators. For this purpose each actuator has pivoted thereto a pair of spaced couplers 12 each formed with hooks and made to articulate together by the link 12. (Any grid or equivalent to support these couplers horizontally may be employed; it is not shown, to avoid con fusion). The hooks of these couplers are moved into and out of the paths of the arms or bars of said lever structure 11 follows: 13 is a cylinder journaled on a vertical axis at one side of frame 7 and having projections (as pegs) 13* arranged thereon in such order (as spirally) thatfor every incrementof rotary advance of the cylinder one of the pegs will be brought into coincidence with a given radial plane. In frame 7 on a vertical axis is fulcrumed a vertical series of ii brators 14-, respectively arranged in the rotary horizontal paths of the pegs l3 and normally urged loward the cylinder by springs 15, each such vibrator having the link 12* of a pair of couplers connected therewith (Fig. 6). The horizontal sliding rods 16 of the jacquard machine which usu ally carry its card-cylinder, being reciprocated by a bell-crank lever 17 through a link 18 from some going part of the loom, is utilized to impart forward movements to the lever structure; and for this purpose said rods have rigid depending arms 16" in turn having plungers 16 suitably guided for horizontal movement and adapted in the forward movements thereof to engage and shift forward suitably guided stems 1,9 which in turn engage the lever structure. yl hen the rods 16 recede the lever structure performs its return or rearward n'ioveinent, being normally held in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 by any means-gravity serving that purpose in the present mere example. The cylinder, in order to cause its pegs to actuate the series of vibrators 1 1 in succession and rotatively, is rotated step by step as follows: It has a ratchet-wheel 13 Ill] being ,held against backwar-d rotation in any Way (not shown) and with this ratcheta lateral face of knife 3; any-means (grav ity acting on this lower cndof the lever 2*1, or below its fulcrum, is assumed to be the medium, in the present more example) may be employed to normally urge the pawl to advanced position relatively to the ratchetwheel, and for obtaining the acting or rear- ,ward movement of the pawl said end of the lever n'iay afiord a cam 21 against which the knife indescending wipes to shift the lever.

The cylinder thus turns a partial revolution (or to bring the pegs one after another against-the vibrators successively and in rotation) for each pick of the loom or shedforming movement of the jacquard machine. Of course the timing of the moving parts is such that the disconnection of one pair of couplers from, and connection of the nezz-t with, theflever structure 11 occur when the latter is back or in the dotted line position in Fig. 5; also thatthe advance of the particular actuator *ca-l led shall be accomplished before the raisin of knife 3, so that the called hooks willgthen be clear of said knife.

Fig. *7 shows how the weaving of the groundniay be controlled by my system. Two of tl'ie actuators (as if the ground weaving is ofsim-ple character), marked 1, may be delegated for this purpose, ,4 indicating their connections, the means for effecting the coupling-up of these actuators with the lever structure 11 being the same as already described, with the corresponding pegs, '13", arranged as the particular weave may require-4f taril'cta or pick-and-pick, then to alternate as shown.' WVhen the actuators devoted to working in the figure are active to that end they of course negative the effect of the ground actuators to allow those hooks to rise which are within the scope of the ligu re and which would otherwise rise.

The number of actuators in actual operation controlling hooks depends on the numher of picks involved in the figure (or the extent of the latter lengthwise of the warps) plus those needed for the ground, though there maybe actually more'present and partaking of the succession movement, as already suggested; generally the machine will be equipped with a sufiicientnumber of actuators to cover any requirement as to extent of figure (lengthwise of the goods) likely .to ans \Vhen the weaver wishes to change the design he simply incorporates many hooks as the design requires and arranges them, with respect to actuators and members 6, to simulate that design as they would appear in end elevation.

The number of hooks 2 will in practice usually be of course considerably greater than that SlllONVDw-HS $50, or more: Th

ana be arranged inseverali'ows, as 3 rows, wit 50 to a now..- Of course .there must a lways be the same number of lovers :6 as

.thereare hooks, and tor sake .otcompactness these will also be arranged i113 rows, .50 to a row. To obtain 'cover in weaving a taffeta (.pick-and-pick) ground it is usual to treat each two adjoining warp threads as a unit. For this purpose the links 9 of the connectionsbetween the actuators 1 and hooks must have the special forms shown in Fig. 9, at HI, II, 1, 1V. If there were only a single row of levers 6 used their order of course would correspond to the warp threads they respectively control, or 1, 2, 3, 4. 5 etc. across the loom-top of Fig. 8. -W=here there are three rows their order is that indicated by l, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. in the lower par-t of said figure. A link like III would be connected with the levers designated 1 and 2; one like I-I would be connected with flever 3; one like I with lever i one like IV with levers 5 and 6, and so on, with the returns or hooks proper represented at the left in Figs. '9 and 10 in all these in-' and onythe next 3 1, 7+8, 11-42, etc. For Weaving the figure, links like-that shown in Fig. 10 at V would mostly be used, i. e., within the margins of the figure all the ail'ected warps must rem ain depressed, and this three hooked link accomplishes that purpose; at the margin of the figure the necessity of faithfully adhering to its intended outline will require the use of certain or all of the links such as areshown in Fig. 9 and also at V1 in Fig. 10.

The levers 3" and 17 may be operated in proper timing from any going part oi? the loom, as the rotating double-crank 22, Fi g. 5.

TIn-this invention there is a novel idea, in a shedding mechanism, of systems (one such system being represented by parts 12-4 in Figs. 2 and 3, or by parts 'l-2 8-69 in Fig. 4) each movable backand forth from one to the other of two positions and normally occupying one of them and each including agroup of warp-thread elevators (as in the ground weaving, for example) each adapted to be given a shed-forming movement from an independent source, as 3, an actuator for each group and connections between such group and actuator, in combination with mechanism for moving the systems one-after another from their normal position by acting on their actuators one after anotherand means to cause,on each such movement, a shed-forming movement of the group which is then in one of said positions,

' from the actuators to said means when the to their other position and means to cause.

former are moved in one direction but inopei'ative to transmit movement in relatively the same direction from said means to the actuators and some of which are also operative to transmit suc movement from aplurality of the actuators to a single one or": said means, mechanism for moving the actuatorsone afte l another as to move sail means one after another from their normal on each such movement, a. shed-immin movement of the elevators then in one or said positions. Each of said manifold means consists in the example shown in 4 of a train of: parts 2-43 6. at which the parts 6 (which I term the prime mover) in each forms an element better adapted, already indicated, to receive (perhaps multiple) connection with actuators than the corresponding elevatory hook or elevator.

As for the arrangement of the connections between actuators and elevators to produce a visual replica of the figure to be woven in, that involves the actuators being in etlect bars arranged substantially parallel and as a series in substantially a plane, and the sets of connections (by a set I mean that or those connections appertaining to any one bar) presenting a replica of the figure. when they are viewed from a point removed from such plane and to that end being arranged so that those appertaining to any one bar have their points of connection with such bars in substantially the same location lengthwise of the bars as their points of connection are located in the succession of clovators (succession being here taken to mean' the order of: the elevators with regard to the order insuccession across the warp of the threads of the latter which they respeia lively control).

As for the arrangement o'l members 9f) shown'in Fig. 8 in a plurality of rows and the devices for moving them shown in Fig. 9, that is a matter of the order of such mem bers in the rows relatively to the succession of the warp threads to which they respec tively appertain being the end ones in such rows taken in the-order of succession of said rows, then the next ones in said rows taken in that order, and so on, all the members being in two sets of groups which relatively alternate with each other throu out said order of the members and each of which.

contains a number of said members which is diiierent from the number of said rows,and of providing means (as a series of links, preferably those shown in Fig. 9 to move first one set and then the other, independently, into and out of position for the lifter 3 to act on the elevators.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Fatcut is:

l. in a shedding mechanism, the combination, with :-"SQ111S each movable back and forth from one to the other of: two positions and each normally occupying one of them, each such system including a group of war 'i-thread elevators, an actuator for such group and connections active to. transmit movement from the actuator, when moved, to such group, the elevators in each group being adapted to be given a sheditoru'iing movement, of mechanism, active on the actuators one al'teranother, to move the SyF-iclllS one another from the position normally occupied thereby tothe other position and release the same and means to cause, on each such movement, a shed-forming ill) movement of the group which is then in one of said positions.

2. In a shedding mechanism, the combination, with systems each movable back and forth from one to the other off two posi tions and each normally occupying one of them, each system including a group of upright warp-thread elevators, a substantially horizontal actuator-bar for such group and connections active to transmit movement from the actuator-bar, when moved, to such group, the elevators in each such group be ing adapted to be given an up and down shed-forming movement, of mechanism, active on said actuator-bars one after another, to move the systems one a'l'te another from the position normally occupied thereby to the other position and release the same and means to cause, on each such movement, a shed-forming movement oi the group which is then in one of said positions.

3. In a shedding mechanism, the combination, with systems each movable back and forth from one to the other of two positions and each including a group of war thread elevators, an actuator for such group and connections active to transmit movement from the actuator, when moved to such group, the connections in each em having means normally holding such system in one of said positions, and the elevators in each group being adapted to be given a shed-forming movement, of mechanism, active on the actuators one atte" another, to move the systems one after another from the position normally occupied thereby to the other position and release the same and means to cause, on each such movement, a

other of two positions and normally occupying one of them and each having the elevator thereof adapted to be given a shedforming movement, of a plurality of individually and back and forthmovable actuators from which to "cause movement of said means from their said normal to their other Lil position, connections 0 erative to transmit such movement from t eactuators to said means when the actuators are moved in one direction but inoperative to transmit movement in relatively the same direction from said means to the actuators and some of.

which are also operative to transmit movement from a plurality of the actuators to a single one of said means, and mechanism, active on the actuators one after another, to move said actuators one after another and release the same and means to cause, on each such movement, a shed-forming movement of the elevators then in one of said positions. l

5. In a mechanism for manipulating certain warp-threads in a warp while weaving a fabric, the combination, with manifold warp-thread-elevator-including means each movable back and forth from one to the other of two positions and each having the elevator thereof adapted to be given a shedforming movement, of a plurality of indi- Vidually and back and forth movable actuators from which to cause movement of said means from one to the other of said positions, connections normally holding said means in one of said positions and operative to transmit such movement from the actuators to said means but inoperative to transmit movement in relatively the same direction from said means to the actuators and some of which are also operative to transmit movement from a plurality of the actuators to a single one of said means, and mechanism, active on the actuators one after another, to move said actuators one after another and release the same and means to cause, on each such movement, a shed-forming movement of the elevators then in one of said positions.

6. In a mechanism for manipulating certain warp threads in a warp while weaving a fabric the combination, with manifold trains of parts each movable back and forth from one to the other of two positions and normally occupying one of them and each including a prime mover and a warp-thread elevator adapted to be given a shed-forming movement, of a plurality of individually and back and forth movable actuators from which to cause movement of said trains from their said normal to their other position, connections operative to transmit such movement from the actuators to said prime movers andhence to the trains but inoperative to transmit movement in relatively the same direction from the prime movers tothe actuators and some of which are also operative to transmit movement from a plurality of the actuators to a single prime mover, and

means,active on the actuators one after another, to move the latter one after another and release them and means to cause, on each such movement, a shed-forming movement of the elevators then in one of said positions. t y y t 7. In a mechanism for manipulating certain'warp threads in a warp while weaving a fabric, the combination, with manifold trains of parts each movable back and forth from one to the other of two positions and normally occupying one of them andQeach including an upright rime mover and a War thread elevator at apted to be iven a s'hecl formingmovement, of a plura' lity" of individually back and forth movable substantially horizontal actuator-bars from which tocause movement of said trains from 7 their said normal to their other position,

connections operative to transmit such movement from the actuator-bars to said prime movers and hence to the trains but inoperative to transmit movement in relatively the same direction from the prime movers to the actuator-bars and some of which are also operative to transmit movement from a plurality of the actuator-bars to a single prime mover, and means, active on the actuatorbars one after another, to move the latter one after another and release them and means to cause, on each such movement, a shed-forming movement of the elevators then in one of saidpositions.

8. In a shedding mechanism, the combination with a succession of warpethread elevators individually shiftable for manipulating the warp threads with which they are adapted to be connected and also movable back and forth from one to the other of two positions and normally held in one of them, a series of substantially parallel bars arranged substantially in a plane and individually movable to .move the elevators to the other position, and sets of'connections between the 1 bars and elevators for transmitting such movement from the former to the latter, the connections presenting a replica of the figure to be woven when viewed from a point removed from such plane and those appertaining to any bar having their points of connection therewith in substantially the same relative location lengthwise of the bars as their points of connection are located in the succession of elevators, of mechanism, active on the bars one after another, to move the same one after another in succession and release the same, and means to cause, on each such movement, a shed-torming movement of the elevators then in one of said positions.

9. In a shedding mechanism, the combination, with systems each movable back and forth from oneto the other of two positions and each normally occupying one of them, each such system including a group of warpthread elevators, an actuator for such group and connections active to transmit movement from the actuator, when moved, to such group, the elevators in each group being around its axis a' succession of means to control said mechanism.

10. In a shedding mechanism, the combination of a reciprocatory warp-thread litter, a multiple of means movable into and out of position for engagement by the litter and adapted to be connected to the respective warp threads and respectively including members arranged in a plurality of parallel rows, the order of such members in the rows relatively to the succession of warp threads to which they respectively appertain being the end ones in such row taken in the order of succession of said rows, then the next ones in said rows taken in the order of succession of said rows, andso on, and all the members being in two sets of groups relatively alternating with each other throughout said order of the members and each group comprising a number of elevators different from the number of said rows, and. means to move first one set and then the other, independent- 1y, into and out of said position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GAVIN HANNAH. 

